If you were to ask me what my favorite thing about my sorority is I would tell you the sisterhood and our philanthropy, but this past week I was able to see the two become one and I discovered truly my favorite thing about Delta Phi Epsilon at Emory. It is how passionate our sisters are for our philanthropies and how hard they are willing to work for them.

I feel that our sorority is unique in two ways when it comes to philanthropy. The first thing that makes us unique is that we support three different philanthropies, The Cystic Fibrous Foundation, The DPhiE Educational Foundation, and The National Association for Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). The other very special thing about our philanthropies is that our sisters connect with our philanthropies on a very personal level. Either they, or someone they love and care about has been affected by the topic of the philanthropy, either cystic fibrosis, an eating disorder, or education opportunities.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to work as philanthropy coordinator this year and really see all the behind the scenes work that goes into planning a philanthropy fundraising week. Even more than taking part in all the planning, I got to watch sisters supporting other sisters as they shared experiences their own with each other and with the community. I watched sisters passionately work towards goals because we support a cause that they truly believe in. I saw these girls laugh with each other during a yoga class and sit and have good conversations over a cup of boba tea.

Being behind the scenes also allowed me to see everyone else doing their leadership jobs, and working hard to make sure our sorority was a welcoming environment for each sister and functioned cohesively. These are very talented women that do not take their jobs and the responsibilities lightly at all.

The power of a common goal of bringing people together is a beautiful thing. I love how the girls in my sorority never have the attitude that supporting our philanthropies is something that we have to do, it is something that we do, continuously throughout the year, with happy hearts knowing that what we are doing is making a difference in someone's life, whether that person is a child across the street at the children's hospital or a member of our sorority.

I am so thankful for these women and I honestly can never say it enough. Delta Phi Epsilon at Emory, I love you.